Coast Guard Suspends Search for Missing Sailors

The U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search at 10 p.m., Friday, May 23, for the missing crew members of the 39-foot sailing vessel Cheeki Rafiki who reported distress approximately 1,000 miles east of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, on Friday, May 16.

At the request of the British Government, the Coast Guard resumed search efforts at 7:38 a.m., Tuesday, having suspending its original 4,000-square-mile search on Sunday after the sailors had not been located.

After an additional 21,000 square miles of searches, the U.S. Coast Guard suspended the second search. The time of suspension was midnight at the search area.

Based on the extreme sea conditions at the time of distress, but assuming best-case emergency equipment, the estimated survival time past the time of distress was approximately 20 hours. Searches were suspended nearly 200 hours after the time of distress.

Watchstanders from the 1st Coast Guard District command center worked around the clock to develop search patterns using weather and currents information.

Multiple crews from military branches across the world saturated the search area offshore with no sign of survivors. Commercial vessels also assisted heavily in the search.

After a Navy warship relocated the overturned sailing vessel on Friday, search planners confirmed the boat's life raft was secured in its storage space in the aft portion of the boat, indicating the crew had not been able to use it for emergency purposes.

Aircraft and vessels involved in the search were: 

•     a U.S. Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules aircraft from Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina
•     a U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Vigorous, homeported in Cape May, New Jersey
•     a 106th Rescue Wing U.S. Air National Guard crew from Gabranski, New York
•     a U.S. Navy warship, homeported in Norfolk, Virginia
•     a U.S. Navy MH-60 helicopter embarked aboard the U.S. Navy warship
•     a U.S. Air Force C-130 aircraft from Moody Air Force Base in Valdosta, Georgia
•     a Canadian military C-130 aircraft
•     a Royal Air Force HC-130 Hercules aircraft from Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
•     the 672-foot motor vessel Premium Do Brasil
•     the 700-foot motor vessel Amapola
•     the 751-foot motor vessel AM Hamburg
•     the 551-foor motor vessel Independent Accord
•     the 600-foot motor vessel Teesta Spirit
•     the 652-foot motor vessel Georgia Highway
•     the 1,000-foot motor vessel Maersk Kure
•     the 600-foot motor vessel Bow Flora
•     the 477-foot motor vessel Chem Venus

"It is with sincere compassion for the families of these four men that our thoughts and prayers are with them all during this difficult time," said Capt. Anthony Popiel, 1st U.S. Coast Guard District Chief of Response. "The U.S. Coast Guard is always hopeful, and makes the utmost efforts to find and rescue those in peril. We have the greatest appreciation for the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force for working with us alongside the militaries of Canada and the United Kingdom during this massive search effort. It is only after our deepest consideration that we suspend our active search efforts."